


The Returned King

by fandomshaveruinedme



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Can be platonic relationship, Canon Temporary Character Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everybody Lives, Except Gaius, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, King Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), M/M, Merlin Has Magic (Merlin), Merlin has Trauma, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Arthur, Protective Merlin, Resurrection, Return of Arthur, Temporary Character Death, merthur if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:53:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21862522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomshaveruinedme/pseuds/fandomshaveruinedme
Summary: n every King Arthur myth, after he is killed by Mordred, it is said that he will one day return when Camelot is at its greatest need. Merlin has waited 1000 years for the return of his king. Now, Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table have risen, and have to adjust to modern day life. Not only that, but they must figure out why they were brought back now, what beast is lurking in the shadows?This is a modern AU I based off of the characters from Merlin and King Arthur myths and stuff
Relationships: Gwen/Lancelot (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 62





	The Returned King

**Author's Note:**

> I love Merlin so much so I wrote this for my creative writing class and said I based it off of the myth instead of the show because my teacher said we weren't allowed to write fanfiction. You can read the relationship between Merlin and Arthur as platonic or romantic.

He lurched up in bed, gasping for breath. There was a pounding in the man's chest as he took calming breaths, trying to relax after the death grip from the man in his dreams. It has been 1000 years, yet every night Merlin would awaken with a gasp, sweat dripping down his face and soaking the sheets. Most people would have moved on at this point, but Merlin could not, because he knew that one day Arthur would return, and Merlin was willing to wait every single day until that moment. 

Glancing at the clock Merlin saw that it read 4:55am, so with a sigh, he swung his feet off the mattress and placed them on plush carpet next to his bed. There would be no sleep anytime. Merlin stood up and padded into the bathroom down the hall. Sluggishly, he removed his night clothes, and stepped into a steaming glass shower. The water dripped down his face and cascaded to the floor, one would say, it looked an awful lot like tears. Merlin didn’t know how long he stood there, letting the water wash over him, but after some time he stepped out of the shower and grabbed the clothes waiting for him on the counter. With a wave of his hand and a flash of gold, Merlin had his teeth brushed and his hair dried and combed.  
Steam billowed out of the bathroom once he opened the door, and he glanced around his flat with a weary sigh. His flat was small and sparsely decorated, just a medium sized bedroom with a dresser and a full size bed. The walls were a dull grey and the carpet was a dull tan, there were no pictures around the room, not even on top of the small wooden desk. There was a living room with a small TV, a few bookshelves, and a kitchen that was equipped with essential items, such as a stove and a fridge, but not much else.

Without missing a beat, a bowl of cereal floated it’s way over to where Merlin was seated at the table. Right as he lifted the spoon there was a knock on the door, a quick little *tap tap tap*. Cautiously, Merlin made his way to the door, spoon in hand, (Arthur once smacked him with a spoon and it hurt a surprising amount,) Carefully, he opened the door and promptly dropped his defense spoon with a loud thunk. 

“Well, don’t just stand there Merlin, aren’t you going to let me in? I’m bloody freezing out here.” 

\-----------  
Merlin stood there, mouth agape as he watched Arthur waving his hand in the air like this was a completely normal conversation, as if he hadn’t been dead for one-thousand years. He was still dressed like Merlin remembered, chain-mail and the coat of Camelot embroidered into a blood red cape. The same color that flowed out of Arthur the night he was struck down, as he lay dying in Merlin's arms, as Merlin was powerless to do anything but watch the light leave his best friends eyes. 

“Oi! Earth to Merlin, you’ve just been staring at me with your mouth open for five minutes. I know this is a bit unconventional, but I am standing, soaking wet, in this strange hallway, and would like to come inside and change into a nice pair of clothes.” 

“Ar-Arthur,” Merlin said with a choked sob, “ is it really you?” 

“Of course it’s me you idiot, who else would it be?”  
Before anything else could be said, Merlin flung himself at Arthur, arms opened wide, ready to envelop the man in front of him in a warm hug, tears dripping down his face. Now, Arthur would never admit this to anyone, but that was the best hug he had ever received in his life. 

“So Arthur, I need you to tell me what you remember,” Merlin said once Arthur was inside, in a dry pair of clothing, with a blanket wrapped around his arms and a cup of steaming hot cocoa in his hands. 

“ Well, it’s a bit fuzzy, but there was a battle, and we were winning, you and I were fighting side by side. Mordred got the drop on me and then everything goes black for a bit. The next thing I remember is you with glowing golden eyes telling me everything will be fine. I believe there were some touching words about how much we love each other in there as well, if I’m not mistaken. I remember your arms wrapped around me and your tears as I slowly faded into blackness, and then the next thing you know I’m floating in a lake. It was a rather chilly lake too. There are also these horseless carriages that travel very fast.” 

“Arthur, how did you find me? I live on the fifth floor of an obscure flat in South Camelot.” 

“First of all, I don’t know what a flat is, and second of all, I don’t know how I found you it was like a gut feeling. I knew that if I followed the strange instructions in my head it would lead me to you.” Arthur said, while taking a hefty swig of his hot chocolate. “ I don’t know what this warm drink is either, but I like it.” Merlin chuckled, and opened his mouth to ask Arthur why he had come back from the dead, when there was another knock on the door. He was half-tempted to leave the door unopened, but then there was another loud knock, and another, and another, until the door was pulled open. 

“ Well look who we have here,” said a gruff voice, “ it’s the princess and the maiden fair boys.” 

“Gwaine!” Merlin shouted before he was pulled tightly into his second hug of the day. One by one, every single knight that was apart of the final battle against Morgana and Mordred made their way through Merlin's small flat door. Each either gave him a pat on the back, ruffled his hair, or pulled him into a quick hug. All the while, Merlin stood there with a mix of shock and happiness as his best friends all returned from the dead. 

\---------------  
They spent the day reminiscing about tales of their epic battles and quests. Eventually, it was time to figure out how twelve burly knights, a burly king, and a scrawny warlock were supposed to sleep in a small Camelot flat. Eventually, it was decided that the mattress would be moved to the floor and surrounded by blankets and pillows until the ground was comfortable. As Merlin drifted off that night, with his king and his friends surrounding him, he fell asleep with a smile for the first time in a 1000 years. 

Later, when Merlin awoke with his annual night terrors, Arthur was beside him, mouth open wide, one arm flung across Merlin's chest. He placed his head back upon the pillow and moved a little closer the Arthur before falling back into a blissful sleep.  
Days passed, and the returned slowly started getting adjusted to life in the modern world. They laughed together and talked, just like old times; however, Merlin remained tense. He wouldn’t let Arthur out of his sight, keeping him holed up in the flat while the other knights went out and explored the city. 

“Come on Merlin, I am perfectly capable of handling myself out there. I have been dead for 1000 years and need to stretch my legs,” Arthur said with a huff of annoyance. 

“I know sire, but you’ve only just returned and you’re not used to this world. We still don’t know what evil is the reason you came back, and it’s just not safe out there.” 

“Well Merlin, I am going out on the town, for once nobody knows who I am and I am going to relish this opportunity, are you coming?” 

“Clotpole,” Merlin muttered before grabbing a light grey jacket and a red scarf. “At least grab a coat sire, you’re going to catch a cold.” 

“ Stop calling me sire, it’s just Arthur here, you’re not my manservant, and I am not your king we’re just two friends going for a walk.” With that said Arthur strode out the door followed closely by Merlin. 

As they made their way down the street, Merlin glanced at Arthur. He looked exactly the same as he did 1000 years ago. His hair was still a short blond that covered just a little bit of his forehead, and his eyes were a striking blue. Although he was dressed to fit in, black slacks and a grey shirt with a red jacket, Merlin could almost imagine that no time had passed since they last saw each other. Merlin, on the other hand, had changed quite a bit. His black hair grew, creating curls that were once not visible due to its short length. Although the food was better nowadays, Merlin had lost weight, so most of his clothes looked baggy. His brown eyes held little of the warmth they had before Arthur died, and his pale skin seemed almost translucent. 

“ Merlin,” Arthur said, “ you’re staring.” 

“Sorry si- Arthur” Merlin said, looking away with a blush. They continued walking down the road, and Arthur was shocked to see magic being used to clean up fallen leaves in the park. Noticing his confusion Merlin spoke. 

“ After you… died, magic was legalized in the land as per your final request. People still practice it today, although I haven’t met anybody else who was born with it like I was.” 

“Well I’m glad Merlin, it was hard enough having you bumbling around while secretly being the world's best sorcerer. Magic clearly does not make people smart.” Arthur said with a chuckle. Merlin allowed a smile to grace his features, he had missed their banter. 

\--------------

A lovely smell wafted through the air as the two returned to Merlin's flat. Standing over the stove was Guinevere with a spoon in her hand. 

“ Ah hello boys, I thought I would try out this automatic fire to make some soup like I used to.” 

“That smells lovely Gwen, thank you.” Arthur said with a smile. Merlin was thankful that things were no longer tense between the two. After Gwen cheated on Arthur with Lancelot, things had become strained between the couple; however, after they broke up, Merlin convinced the two to remain friends, and slowly they grew close again, although Lancelot still held Gwen's heart.  
As they ate, Merlin laid out maps of the city with circles around various different locations. Those areas were where there had been strange magical disturbances such as having a swarm of pixies start flying through people's hair. The party still had no idea why they had been brought back, but Merlin could tell that something was stirring. Something dangerous and powerful, yet he had no idea what. 

“Ah Merlin mate, I really love this moving picture thing you have on your wall.” Gwaine said while plopping himself down on the remains of the couch. “ Also these glass bottles filled with mead I picked up from the market are simply amazing.” 

“I’ll toast to that,” said Kay as he moved to sit beside Gwaine. Merlin had missed this, their jokes and easy banter was impossible to replace. Now, there was a dark threat looming on the horizon that threatened to take everything away again. Tomorrow, they would have to keep searching for the mysterious threat, but for tonight, Merlin was going to enjoy his friends.  
The next day, Merlin was able to prepare a spell so that the knights would be able to carry swords around with them. It was a simple disguise spell, so people wouldn’t notice the swords at their hips. Now that the knights are able to be properly armed, Merlin sent them out to the different locations on the map, trying to see if there was anything similar about those places. 

“ Merlin, you have to assign me somewhere. I’m not just going to sit in your bedchamber like a child.” Arthur said while grabbing his sword and jacket. 

“Arthur, we don’t know if the threat is going to come after you, it’s best if you just stay indoors.” 

“My men are out there Merlin, and you’re going out there too. You, my useless, clumsy, former manservant, is going monster hunting. I will not let you go by yourself, sorcerer or not.” 

“First of all, I was born with magic, therefore, I am a warlock. Second, I am not useless I’ve saved your skin more times than I can count.” With that being said Merlin tied on his scarf and made his way to the door.  
With a smug look on his face Arthur loudly announced, “either I go with you, or I’ll go out by myself. The choice is yours.” With a huff of annoyance, Merlin muttered a spell under his breath to keep Arthur in place, and then walked out the door. As it closed he shouted 

“This is for your own good. Don’t do anything stupid until I get back!’ 

A half hour passed before the spell wore off and Arthur had the ability to move, Luckily, he remembered where Merlin said he was going, so he quickly grabbed his sword and rushed out the door. It took awhile for Arthur to find the park, and he prayed nothing happened to his prat of a manservant. It would be just Merlin's luck to stumble into some trouble while I’m locked in his bloody flat. With a huff, Arthur finally neared the trees that signified St. James Park and the location Merlin had marked on the map of magical disturbances. Darkness started to descend on the young king as he searched for his friend. Suddenly, there was a shout and a crash that sounded exactly like a certain clumsy warlock who was walking around the area. With a jolt, Arthur took off down the pathway towards the sound of a struggle. 

He entered a clearing and noticed Merlin pinned to the ground, unconscious, a bloody gash creating a line of read across his forehead. A griffin towering over him. The massive beast was larger than a horse, with an eagle head and large feathered wings. It’s sharp talons were penetrating the earth inches from Merlin's head. Drawing his sword, Arthur charged the beast, not faltering once, although he had been dead only days before. Merlin was in trouble, and no matter how much they argued, Merlin had grown on him. 

“You bloody idiot, you do not get to die on me now. This is why we do things together.” Arthur said while striking the beast over and over with Excalibur. If the situation wasn’t so serious, Arthur would have been enjoying himself. He missed this, the action that came with going on scouting missions. The adrenaline that would flow through his veins as he fought off monsters and bandits. Once his father died and he became king, he replaced his youthful freedom with ruling a kingdom. Now, nobody knew who he was, and he could have the thrill of the chase with minor responsibilities, because the truth was, he was twenty-four, far too young to be ruling an entire kingdom by himself.  
Soon enough the griffin was dispatched, the thrill of battle taking over all of Arthur's scenes. As he watched the griffin take its last breaths he remembered Merlin, prone on the ground.

“Merlin, I literally just returned to the dead, but I am willing to go back to the Netherworld to hunt you down and kill you myself.” Arthur growled while gently slapping Merlin's face. A trail of blood was slowly making its way down Merlin's cheek, leaving a dark crimson line that stood out tenfold on Merlin's pale skin. He was deathly still. Arthur reached down and quickly untied Merlin's scarf which he pressed to Merlin's forehead. 

“Come on Merlin, I don’t have anybody here with me to help you. I don’t know how to work that magical box thing you keep in your pocket either, so I need you to wake up.” Years of battle and training had hardened Arthur, but it was still a shock to see Merlin so lifeless. Why did he have to go off by himself, why couldn’t he trust me, why did I let him go alone. To Arthur, it seemed as though hours had passed while he sat there with Merlin, waiting for him to wake up. Finally, Merlin began to stir from beneath Arthur's hand. 

With a groan, Merlin opened his eyes, rubbing his head, he was shocked to see it come away crimson. Although the bleeding had slowed considerably, it was still oozing blood. He looked around, confused, and noticed the dead griffin laying a few feet away. Slowly, his look of confusion dawned into realization about what had just occurred. 

“Merlin you bloody idiot. You almost died out here, all because your ego didn’t allow me to come along. You can't rely on your magic to save the day every time because it certainly didn’t back in the old Camelot. Stop being daft and stop trying to hole me up in your flat, because it is not going to work!” Arthur shouted. 

“You didn’t listen to me,” Merlin murmured while slowly attempting to sit up. His black hair was plastered to his forehead and his head spun as he moved. It was far too risky to attempt to try and magic his wound away, something could go wrong and he could end up without his head. 

“Which is a good thing considering that griffin was about to slice you up into little pieces,” Arthur shot back. “Besides, you and I work better together, I don’t understand why you wouldn’t just let me come with you in the first place.” 

“Because Arthur, this is a new world that you’re not used to, and I can't have you getting hurt. I lost you once and I can't go through that again.” He took a shaky breath. 

“Arthur, when you died, I didn’t know what to do with myself. You were my best friend and then suddenly, you were gone. Camelot didn’t have a king and I didn’t have you. Eventually, Gwen and the other knights died, and I was alone trying to live life in a completely different world. I care about you more than anything and I just can’t have anything happen to you.” Tears started to make their way down Merlins cheeks in a steady stream mixing with the blood, and running pink down his face. Arthur stood there for a moment, mouth agape, before walking over to Merlin and pulling him into a hug. 

“I’m sorry you had to go through that Merlin, but you can’t keep me locked away. There are always going to be things that could hurt me you just have to accept that. I cannot have you be killed just because you were worrying about me, okay? I saw you lying there, on the cold ground, I watched your blood soak the Earth, and I blamed myself. I had no idea if you were dead or alive and I couldn't do anything in that moment to help. You always have my back, and I always have yours, and when we didn’t, you got hurt. You can’t pull something this foolish again, okay? ”  
Merlin sniffed, “okay.” 

“You are the bravest, most loyal person I have ever met Merlin, but you are also one of the most foolish. However, I would be lost without you.” Arthur reached out his hand which Merlin graciously accepted, and gently helped Merlin up off the ground. Together they made their way out of the park, Merlins arm draped over Arthurs shoulder. 

Together, they made there way to the door of the flat where Percival stood waiting. 

“What the devil happened to you two?” Lancelot said while leaning against the counter. 

“Merlin is an idiot,” Arthur responded. 

“Well there’s nothing new there mate.” Then, all the knights collectively surrounded Merlin with pillows, and attempted to figure out how a phone worked so they could call a physician. Although Merlin had a dreadful headache, he had not been as happy as he was in this moment, in a thousand years. 

“There’s that goofy smile, Merlin,” Arthur said with a nudge.  
That night, after Merlin had been properly taken care of and diagnosed with a concussion, he sat himself down on the couch next to Arthur. Arthur was right he thought glumly, he can take care of himself. Although it pained Merlin, he realized that Arthur was alive now and he needed to make his own choices. He was brought back for a reason and Merlin couldn’t keep him locked away just to protect him. They would figure out what the great evil was together, they would fight it together, and they would win together. After all, Merlin and Arthur were two sides of the same coin, fates forever intertwined.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah Creative Writing teacher Merlin and Arthur are really good friends ;) 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, and if you did comment and let me know! Maybe there will be a squeal maybe not. IDK man.


End file.
